Once a flooding nightmare, Sullivan Park is now an
environmentally friendly wetland.

For its efforts, the city of Easton
received the 2014 Green Park Award from the Pennsylvania Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Recreation and Parks
Society.

Sullivan Park is situated midway up a steep slope near the intersection of Hamilton Street
and Chestnut Terrace. For years, homes below the park incurred flooding, even
during minor storms. Basements flooded, causing water damage in houses along Hamilton,
West Lafayette and Coleman streets.

Four major floods from 2004 to 2008 spurred the Easton
public works department to team up with Lafayette
College to find a solution. David
Brandes, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering,
challenged his students to develop an innovative solution to the problem.

Students planted native wetland grasses, trees and shrubs and
received guidance from Len Smith, who works at Borton-Lawson, a professional
engineering firm in Bethlehem.
Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said that since the park was redesigned, the neighbors'
flood complaints have ceased.

The annual Green Park Award recognizes excellence in the use
of green and sustainable park practices in community parks.

"Any great project does not belong to one person," said Dave
Hopkins, Easton's director of
public works. "This was not an easy project."

A Red Sunset maple tree was planted next to a commemorative
bronze plaque and the ceremony included speeches by Panto; state Rep. Robert
Freeman, D-Northampton; and Nathan Flood, deputy secretary of the Pennsylvania
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

"The Sullivan Park project is an excellent example for other
communities that want to make their parks great assets to their residents," Flood said. "And it's a model we hope to see replicated over and over again
throughout the commonwealth."

Sullivan Park has playground equipment and spots for
picnicking. The wetlands have become a favorite spot for nature lovers who can
see monarch butterflies and hummingbirds.

"This is a great day for Easton,"
Freeman said. "This is a well-deserved award for finding an environmentally
friendly approach to solving the problem."